Flag of Greece facts for kids

The Greek flag.

The old Greek flag.

The flag of Greece is a rectangle with nine stripes. There are five blue stripes and four white ones. In the top left corner, there is a blue square with a white cross. This flag has been used since 1822. At that time, the new Greek state was fighting for its independence from the Ottoman Empire during the Greek War of Independence.

History of the Greek Flag

The current flag of Greece was officially chosen in 1822. This happened during the First national assembly of the Greeks at Epidaurus. The flag with nine stripes was first used by the government and the military, especially on ships. This type of flag is called an ensign.

At the same time, another flag was chosen for use on land. It was a simple white cross on a blue background. A third flag was made for merchant ships, which are civilian ships. However, this flag was only used for eight years. In 1978, the nine-striped ensign became the only national flag. Now, everyone in Greece uses it, both on land and at sea.

Meaning of the Flag

Many people believe the colors of the Greek flag come from nature. The blue stands for the clear sky and the deep sea. The white represents the white waves of the ocean. The nine stripes are often said to represent the nine syllables of the Greek motto: "Eleftheria i Thanatos" (Freedom or Death). The cross is a symbol of the Christian faith.

Other Names for the Flag

In Greece, the flag is sometimes called the blue-white. In Greek, this is Γαλανόλευκη (Galanólefki) or Κυανόλευκη (Kyanólefki).

Similar Flags

Some people believe the Greek flag looks very much like the flag of the East India Trading Company. This company used its flag between 1685 and 1842.

The flags of the East India Trading Company (1685 - 1842)

Different Versions of the Flag Over Time

Over the years, Greece has used different versions of its flag. Here are some of them:

The current flag, used since 1822.	The old flag, used between 1822 and 1978.
Ensign during the time of the monarchy.	State flag during the monarchy.
National flag during the dictatorship (1970-1974).	The first design for the Greek flag, from 1797.

Images for kids

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  The merchant vessel Panagia tis Hydras, built 1793, flying the Graeco-Ottoman flag.

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  Agios Nikolaos (1797) and Poseidon (1815), belonging to the Anargyros brothers from Spetses, flying variants of the Russian flag

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  Flags used by various admirals of the Revolutionary Navy from an 1823 manuscript.

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  Greek Teachers and Graduates of the Evangelical School of Smyrna with greek flag (1878).

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  The first official specifications for the war flag or naval ensign (published 3 June 1833)

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  Administrative flags of Greece (1934)

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  It is widely believed that the colours of the Greek flag come from the blue of the sky and the white of the waves.

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  Ohi Day decorations in Poros.

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  Preserved flag of the Greek III Division of the Macedonian front

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  The double-headed eagle was the symbol of the Palaiologoi dynasty.

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  Proposed flag of Greece as drawn by Rigas Feraios in his manuscripts.

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  Bishop Germanos of Patras blessing the flag of the Greek revolutionaries at the Monastery of Agia Lavra, part of a popular legend regarding the start of the revolution of 1821, although it never actually happened.

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  Used in Thessaly, created by Anthimos Gazis

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  Flag of Hydra island

See also

In Spanish: Bandera de Grecia para niños